Tired of doing the same old job day in and day out? If you are looking for a career that is as exciting as it is fulfilling, then teaching English as a foreign language might be the job you are looking for!

At The TEFL Academy in San Francisco, we offer a Combined Level 5 TEFL Course (168 hours), the first part of which is taught in a face-to-face setting over one weekend. In 20 hours, our highly accomplished instructors will teach you all the necessary course work at the Hotel Carlton in San Francisco. Once the weekend course is finished, you can continue your TEFL course online in the convenience and comfort of your own home. Our dedicated group of TEFL experts will be available to help you should the need arise.

You can expect to learn how to construct a lesson plan and how to execute it properly during the weekend class in San Francisco. You will also be teaching during this course session, which will give you the opportunity to fully grasp how rewarding it is to be able to teach English as a foreign language.

How quickly you wish to complete the 148 hours of online TEFL course study is at your discretion. Some take as long as six months whereas others complete them in a few weeks. On average, most complete the TEFL course within four to six weeks. You will learn the theory of TEFL, as well as grammar and vocabulary skills.

You will be granted an internationally recognised Level 5 TEFL Certificate (168 hours) upon completing the TEFL course. Our Level 5 TEFL Course is DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status. The DEAC is a U.S. Department of Education recognized awarding body. Our course is regulated by Ofqual (UK government department) and awarded by Qualifi, a UK government recognized awarding body. Be sure to visit our TEFL Jobs Board when you have received your final marks, so you may begin searching for opportunities abroad. We also offer you the opportunity to specialise in your chosen field of teaching English. All enrollments on our level 5 course include a free top-up course in Teaching Young Learners, Teaching Business English or Teaching Online & 1:1. You will be provided with a unique discount code with your booking confirmation email which can be redeemed against your chosen course.

If traveling the world and bringing in a good paycheck is something that you desire, then be sure to enroll in a TEFL course in San Francisco right away with just an $80 deposit! Deposits are only accepted for courses more than 2 weeks away, your online course will be available as soon as you have paid the balance in full.

“Our course has been approved by the DEAC, a U.S. Department of Education recognized awarding body.”

Day 2 (9 a.m. - 7 p.m.)

“Our course has been approved by the DEAC, a U.S. Department of Education recognized awarding body.”

Online Course (Instant access on enrollment)

The online course consists of ten mandatory units. All ten units are exam-assessed and for units 5, 7 and 10 there are also coursework-assessed assignments. You get 6-months access to the course, but some students complete their qualification within 4 - 6 weeks (when studied full time).

Using Resources Effectively when Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Case Study, CV and Cover Letter, Job Sites and Resources

Course options explained

With so much choice and such a vast amount of conflicting information available on the Internet it can be difficult for potential TEFL course students to make the correct choice. The minimum standard for most entry-level teaching positions is a 120-Hour TEFL Certificate, however to ensure our students can access the best global opportunities our course leads to a Level 5 TEFL Certificate (168 hours). Our Level 5 TEFL Course is DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status. The DEAC is a U.S. Department of Education recognized awarding body. Our course is regulated by Ofqual (UK government department) and awarded by Qualifi, a UK government recognized awarding body.

You will see many courses available that are shorter than 120-hours, these options are TEFL taster courses and will not be accepted by most employers.

Career opportunities

With 1.5 billion people wanting to learn English right now the career opportunities are endless! Once you have completed the course you will be qualified to teach English internationally.

You will be qualified to teach:

Children

Young Adults

Adults

In a range of educational settings such as:

Schools

Universities/Colleges

Private English Language Schools

Business/Corporate English

Private One to One Tuition

“Our course has been approved by the DEAC, a U.S. Department of Education recognized awarding body.”

Amber Kanter, TEFL Trainer

Amber’s TEFL journey began when she started volunteering in her university’s English Language Institute as part of her senior seminar’s community service learning project and immediately fell in love with teaching English as a Second Language.

Amber has taught ESL in a wide variety of educational contexts, including middle school, adult education, community college, Intensive English Programs, and summer camp for international students. She also has experience with EFL in Mexico and Japan. She is passionate about education, and loves helping students achieve their language goals. Amber enjoys traveling, listening to music, and sharing her teaching experience with future ESL/EFL teachers as they pursue their dreams of teaching abroad.

"I am passionate about education, and love helping students achieve their language goals."

Tired of doing the same old job day in and day out? If you are looking for a career that is as exciting as it is fulfilling, then teaching English as a foreign language might be the job you are looking for!

At The TEFL Academy in San Francisco, we offer a Combined Level 5 TEFL Course (168 hours), the first part of which is taught in a face-to-face setting over one weekend. In 20 hours, our highly accomplished instructors will teach you all the necessary course work at the Hotel Carlton in San Francisco. Once the weekend course is finished, you can continue your TEFL course online in the convenience and comfort of your own home. Our dedicated group of TEFL experts will be available to help you should the need arise.

You can expect to learn how to construct a lesson plan and how to execute it properly during the weekend class in San Francisco. You will also be teaching during this course session, which will give you the opportunity to fully grasp how rewarding it is to be able to teach English as a foreign language.

How quickly you wish to complete the 148 hours of online TEFL course study is at your discretion. Some take as long as six months whereas others complete them in a few weeks. On average, most complete the TEFL course within four to six weeks. You will learn the theory of TEFL, as well as grammar and vocabulary skills.

You will be granted an internationally recognised Level 5 TEFL Certificate (168 hours) upon completing the TEFL course. Our Level 5 TEFL Course is DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status. The DEAC is a U.S. Department of Education recognized awarding body. Our course is regulated by Ofqual (UK government department) and awarded by Qualifi, a UK government recognized awarding body. Be sure to visit our TEFL Jobs Board when you have received your final marks, so you may begin searching for opportunities abroad. We also offer you the opportunity to specialise in your chosen field of teaching English. All enrollments on our level 5 course include a free top-up course in Teaching Young Learners, Teaching Business English or Teaching Online & 1:1. You will be provided with a unique discount code with your booking confirmation email which can be redeemed against your chosen course.

If traveling the world and bringing in a good paycheck is something that you desire, then be sure to enroll in a TEFL course in San Francisco right away with just an $80 deposit! Deposits are only accepted for courses more than 2 weeks away, your online course will be available as soon as you have paid the balance in full.

Day 2 (9 a.m. - 7 p.m.)

Online Course (Instant access on enrollment)

The online course consists of ten mandatory units. All ten units are exam-assessed and for units 5, 7 and 10 there are also coursework-assessed assignments. You get 6-months access to the course, but some students complete their qualification within 4 - 6 weeks (when studied full time).

Course options explained

With so much choice and such a vast amount of conflicting information available on the Internet it can be difficult for potential TEFL course students to make the correct choice. The minimum standard for most entry-level teaching positions is a 120-Hour TEFL Certificate, however to ensure our students can access the best global opportunities our course leads to a Level 5 TEFL Certificate (168 hours). Our Level 5 TEFL Course is DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status. The DEAC is a U.S. Department of Education recognized awarding body. Our course is regulated by Ofqual (UK government department) and awarded by Qualifi, a UK government recognized awarding body.

You will see many courses available that are shorter than 120-hours, these options are TEFL taster courses and will not be accepted by most employers.

Career opportunities

With 1.5 billion people wanting to learn English right now the career opportunities are endless! Once you have completed the course you will be qualified to teach English internationally.

Amber Kanter, TEFL Trainer

Amber’s TEFL journey began when she started volunteering in her university’s English Language Institute as part of her senior seminar’s community service learning project and immediately fell in love with teaching English as a Second Language.

Amber has taught ESL in a wide variety of educational contexts, including middle school, adult education, community college, Intensive English Programs, and summer camp for international students. She also has experience with EFL in Mexico and Japan. She is passionate about education, and loves helping students achieve their language goals. Amber enjoys traveling, listening to music, and sharing her teaching experience with future ESL/EFL teachers as they pursue their dreams of teaching abroad.

"I am passionate about education, and love helping students achieve their language goals."

Accreditation FAQ

Is the course accredited?

Our Level 5 TEFL Course is DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status. The DEAC is a U.S. Department of Education recognised awarding body. Our course is regulated by Ofqual (UK government department) and awarded by Qualifi, a UK government recognised awarding body.

Who are the DEAC?

The Distance Education Accrediting Commission was founded in 1926 and is a U.S. Department of Education recognised awarding body. DEAC's goal is to ensure a high standard of educational quality in the distance education institutions it approves by requiring compliance with its published standards, policies and procedures.

Who are Qualifi?

The TEFL Academy is fully accredited by Qualifi an Ofqual (The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, a UK government department) regulated awarding body. Qualifi have robust quality assurance systems and procedures in place which all course providers must successfully pass in order to be accredited under the scheme.

Potential TEFL course students should remember that their prospective employers are likely to be based outside the USA. This means that accreditation bodies based solely in the USA may not be recognized by employers abroad. This is why The TEFL Academy has chosen Qualifi, as they offer international accreditation for training course providers.

Who are Ofqual?

The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England and vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland.

Ofqual is a non-ministerial UK government department.

You can verify our qualification on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications here.

Ofqual recognize Awarding Organisations like Qualifi and regulate qualifications like ours. An Ofqual regulated TEFL qualification will be recognized worldwide and is highly respected by employers.

What is a Level 5 qualification?

A regulated level 5 qualification means that Ofqual (UK government), have approved the qualification to be an equal level of achievement to other qualifications at the same level. Our Level 5 TEFL Certificate (168hrs) is equal to the following American qualifications: an associate degree, a foundation degree, 2 years at university and the CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL qualifications.

What does "regulated" mean?

A regulated qualification means that it is officially recognized by government and sits on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. You can view our qualification on the Ofqual register here.

What benefits does studying a regulated qualification offer learners?

Choosing to study a regulated qualification is your guarantee of quality. Course providers offering regulated qualifications must comply with very tough quality assurance rules and procedures. This ensures that:

The staff delivering and assisting students are suitably qualified

The course provider has the resources to effectively deliver the qualification

The course itself effectively teaches and assesses the qualifications aims

The contents of the course have been written and designed by industry professionals and peer reviewed

The feedback and grades given to learners is fair, moderated and meets modern academic standards

Officially regulated by the UK government, therefore the qualification will be internationally recognized by schools, employers, foreign embassies and governments of most other countries.

How do I know if a qualification is regulated?

Any qualification that is officially recognized by the UK government will sit on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. Make sure to ask your course provider to provide a link to the register for their qualification.

You can view our qualification on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications here.

What's the difference between TEFL and TESOL?

TEFL and TESOL are both acronyms for teaching English to non-native English speakers. Both acronyms can be used to describe qualifications which certify you to teach English as a foreign language. To a large extent, "TEFL" and "TESOL" are used interchangeably.

TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language

TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Are cheap TEFL courses on daily deal websites like Groupon and Amazon too good to be true?

Offering a high quality TEFL course that provides students with qualified tutors and leads to a government regulated qualification doesn't come cheap! Course providers selling on daily deal websites must heavily discount their course fees and then split what they make 50/50 with the deal portal such as Groupon, Wowcher & Amazon.

With such small revenues it’s impossible for TEFL course providers selling on daily deal websites to:

Offer on-going support from experienced & qualified tutors

Have fair & moderated marking/grading systems

Develop and continually update quality course content & resources

Offer a course that leads to a government regulated qualification

Offer job support and on-going assistance after course completion

TEFL courses sold on daily deal websites are unregulated, unaccredited, lack academic credibility and will not be respected by employers.

Is a level 5 course always a level 5 course?

You may see cheap TEFL courses advertised online that claim to be a “level”, such as “Level 5 140-Hour TEFL Course” (often advertised on daily deal websites), unfortunately these courses are not the level they claim to be and are highly misleading.

The level of a course tells learners where the qualification sits on the UK’s Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). If a course is not listed on the Register of Regulated Qualifications, then it is not really a level at all. You can find our qualification on the register here.

Make sure you ask any TEFL training provider that claims to be offering a “level” of TEFL course to provide a link to the Register of Regulated Qualifications. If they cannot provide this, then the qualification is not the level they claim it to be and will not be accepted by foreign embassies and employers.

Your TEFL journey starts here! Fancy teaching English as a foreign language around the world?

Great! You’re in the right place. The TEFL Academy provides the very best in accredited TEFL courses, meaning your qualification is recognized throughout the world . The TEFL Academy is the world's leading TEFL course provider. We can help you acquire the skills needed to teach English as a foreign language, whether it be through our specialist online TEFL course or our combined TEFL course. Unsure which is the best TEFL option for you? See our TEFL courses compared page for an instant breakdown of course specifics.

Graduate Testimonials

Read Testimonials from our Graduates

Rating

Burke

Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?

A. It was clear that the class was being taught by a genuinely passionate teacher who was there because she wanted to be, and that the small classroom size allowed me to get to know a number of very interesting and inspiring people.

Rating

Richard

Q. How satisfied you were with your TEFL Tutor?

A. She was just so nice and answered all my questions any time I needed.

Q. How satisfied you were with the classroom element of the course?

A. The instructor was so nice and helpful. This class made my decision to go much easier once I was there.

Rating

Qaasimah

Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?

A. I enjoyed the class and the teacher was amazing. She was very personable and treated us with respect but also taught us a lot. Her high energy made the class seem much shorter and it was really fun.

Q. How satisfied were you with your TEFL Tutor?

A. She was super helpful and always willing to answer questions even if we were on break.

Rating

Morgan Togher

Q. Why did you choose The TEFL Academy instead of another TEFL company?

A. I chose The TEFL Academy because it is an accredited course and recognized by international institutions. Also, because it required a 20 hour in class course.

Q. Did the course live up to your expectations?

A. The Instructor of the course was qualified and highly experienced in teaching English as a second language. The course was very necessarily detailed and planned very well, even though we were learnt a lot of information. I did not come away from the course feeling overwhelmed, but comforted that I was prepared to continue onto the online part of this course.

Q. Do you have any comments about your TEFL trainer?

A. The Instructor of the course was qualified and highly experienced in teaching English as a second language. She was very enthusiastic about getting involved in TEFL, very encouraging and eager to answer any of our questions. The instructor taught us in the way that we should be teaching our future student by continuously interacting with each other and forming groups to participate in an exercise. I thought this course was going to be primarily lecturing and taking notes the whole day. I came out sunday night, beaming because of the weekend and eager to start the TEFL online course and my TEFL career.

Rating

Melanie James

Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?

A. The classroom element of the course is great! The information provided was helpful, the activities were encouraging which resulted in a good structured communication between us - the students. Very satisfying element.

Q. How satisfied were you with your TEFL Tutor?

A. There is no-one like Liz. I'm happy to have met an example of great teaching. The class was intense & informative, stimulating and encouraging. It feels like the two days flew by.

Rating

Nick Field

Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?

A. I gained a lot from the intensive 2 day introductory course- the teacher was engaging and helpful. I have no experience in teaching and haven't studied English for many years so was expecting to fall behind during the course- however the information was easily absorbed via proven teaching techniques. The teacher allowed plenty of question time for us and gave many anecdotes to put content into context.

Q. How satisfied were you with your TEFL Tutor?

A. Our teacher was respectful to us and was very interested in our backgrounds and our prospects. Above all she pushed us to our potential- she also gave feedback respectfully after we carried out teaching exercises, she did the job well!

In regards to Think Talent, we are an information consulting company which is focused on introducing ESL teachers to schools all around China as well as help teachers explore Chinese culture outside the walls of the classroom.

EF English First is the world's leading privately owned education company. We have vacancies for teaching positions in both Kids & Teens schools and Adult schools across China so if you prefer the fast paced city life like Shanghai, or want to be immersed in the more traditional